CHILDREN OF BODOM are set to rise once more—at least for one night.
The Finnish metal legends have announced a special tribute concert titled A Celebration Of Music, scheduled for February 26, 2026 at Helsinki’s iconic Tavastia club. The show will honor the life and legacy of founding frontman Alexi Laiho, who passed away in 2020, and marks the band’s first performance since their 2019 farewell.
The lineup features original members Henkka Seppälä (bass), Janne Wirman (keyboards), and Jaska Raatikainen (drums), alongside former guitarist Alexander Kuoppala and LOST SOCIETY’s Samy Elbanna, who will take on guitar and vocal duties in tribute to Laiho.
“We want to celebrate the life’s work of our band and at the same time the musical legacy of our friend and bandmate Alexi,” the band shared in a statement. “The gig will be played at the Tavastia club, which is important to CHILDREN OF BODOM, and at the same time, we will fulfill the long-standing wish of our fans.”
CHILDREN OF BODOM officially disbanded in 2019 following their final show on December 15 at the Helsinki Ice Hall’s Black Box. That performance was later immortalized in the live album A Chapter Called… Children Of Bodom (Final Show In Helsinki Ice Hall 2019).
Alexi Laiho and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, building it into one of Finland’s most internationally acclaimed metal acts. The band played their final show in December 2019 before officially disbanding. In 2020, Laiho launched BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, recording three songs and filming a music video before his untimely passing. That material was released posthumously in 2021.
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